Chains Turning rear tires on NH1620 inside out to clear chains?

[stuartshomepc]

I got my NH 1620 stuck in the woods last week due to the deep snow and the lack of traction with turf tires. I was dragging some logs out and as I was going up a slope it started to slip. So I dropped the load and figured that I would get up the slope and haul the log up via some long chains. Well, I could not get up the slope in 4WD with the rear diff locked, and had to slowly crab it up using the FEL. At times it would just slide back down the slope. One foot forward, 2 feet back! What a pain.

I picked up some tire chains and just like a lot of other threads they hit the rear fenders as there is not enough clearance between the chain and outboard part of the underside of the fender.

I was using the search feature on TBN (yep, searched, read and then asked the question) and found some threads on getting wheel spacers and a few on flipping the tires around and left to right to make the larger (7.5") offset of the wheel face out rather than the stock position with the 5.5" offset.

I did notice that there is a sticker on the inward side of the rim saying to put the other side out.

So, any help on the question to flip? or space? If 2" spacers put the centerline of the tire in the same place and flipping the rim the load on the bearings would be the same. Plus I would put the wheels back to normal when the summer comes and I put any implements on the back.

Any help?

Stuart

 

[RickB]

Reversing the rim is preferred to adding components such as spacers. THere is less opportunity for the hardware to loosen.
That said, some NH turf rim/tractor combinations only allow the rim to be positioned one way; the tire contacts the fender/ ROPS when reversed. Try turning the wheel around, if it increases clearance, go with that. Returning to the stock position for the spring, summer and fall is a good idea.

 

[mykleh]

I have had my tires on my 1620 reversed for 5 years now because I use chains in winter for snowblowing then for fall for clearing wood making trails, using the box scraper you name it.. first two years I use to turn them back around. but they are liquid filled and quite the hand full.. if they fall over you would need the bucket to pick the darn things back up!! havn't the last 3 years as it helps in summer for side hill cutting with my 72" mid mount mower tractor is just plain more stable

 

[stuartshomepc]

Thanks for your help guys. I was not real excited about having to get wheel spacers fabricated. I wil give it a try. My tires are loaded so I am expecting this to be quite an adventure! But I hope that with the chains on I can haul logs out of the "back 40" and up the hill that I have.

Stuart

 

[Dead Horse]

Thanks for your help guys. I was not real excited about having to get wheel spacers fabricated. I wil give it a try. My tires are loaded so I am expecting this to be quite an adventure! But I hope that with the chains on I can haul logs out of the "back 40" and up the hill that I have.

Stuart

Even with chains on, if the snow is deep you will ha ve a hard time. I went into a field to colect some logs with a Hesston 90 100 DT. chains on the nose. There was probably 30 inches of snow and i had to climb a small hill to get up into the field. I had to dig my way up and back several times.

In deep snow the tires (Ags) just stuttered in the snow, even in 4wd w/diff locked. Go slow, don't hurt it........

 

[stuartshomepc]

Even with chains on, if the snow is deep you will ha ve a hard time. I went into a field to colect some logs with a Hesston 90 100 DT. chains on the nose. There was probably 30 inches of snow and i had to climb a small hill to get up into the field. I had to dig my way up and back several times.

In deep snow the tires (Ags) just stuttered in the snow, even in 4wd w/diff locked. Go slow, don't hurt it........

Thanks for the input. I plowed my way down the hill to get the snow out of the way. I figured that I could not just drive over the 2 feet of snow.

The hill is only about 25 feet long and a 6 foot rise, but I could not get back up. The surface under the snow was just too slick but there is dirt underneath. The Ag tires just polished the surface of the snow and spun. I had to use the bucket to crab up, (and swore a lot) to get back up. Later that day I drive my 14HP Bolens down and it has Ag tires and chains. Even pulling a small trailer with some firewood in it, it was able to climb the hill. The chains just dug through the stuff until they reached a tractable surface. They did spin some, but it did go up. So I hope that putting the chains on the 1620 will let me get up the hill. If not I have a lot of fallen trees to cut up to use a less sloped path.

Again, thanks for all the input. I hope to swap the tires around and get the chains on this weekend as it's supposed to get up to the mid 40's. That will feel like a heat wave as it's 0 out right now.
Stuart

 

[foxmed1]

I have a 1620 and finally broke down and bought chains yesterday...anticipating a foot or more of new snow tomorrow. When I bought them the dealer said, "oh you may have an issue with fender clearance".....(why the **** did he sell em to me if he knew they wouldn't fit?) The tractor is in the barn now with the chains half -a-- on the tires. It is obvious a clearance problem. I don't have any extra hands around to help reverse the tires....is this the only way I am going to be able to get chains on? Is there a type of chain that will work? The chains I got were 300 bucks....I saw some for over 600!! I am beginning to think I struggled this long without them....maybe I just keep diiging out with the bucket when I get stuck!!! Any words of wisdom???

Thx

 

[Bedlam]

Id say the only way is to change the tires out wider if that would give the clearance, or if you had to return the chains if that were an option.
But your effort to move the tires out to accommodate the chains will Be the best investment in the long run.
Hopefully you have a floor jack to assist in this and also when you install the chains /I find jack up one side and then the wheels turn to walk the chains on Good luck.

 

[stuartshomepc]

I have a 1620 and finally broke down and bought chains yesterday...anticipating a foot or more of new snow tomorrow. When I bought them the dealer said, "oh you may have an issue with fender clearance".....(why the **** did he sell em to me if he knew they wouldn't fit?) The tractor is in the barn now with the chains half -a-- on the tires. It is obvious a clearance problem. I don't have any extra hands around to help reverse the tires....is this the only way I am going to be able to get chains on? Is there a type of chain that will work? The chains I got were 300 bucks....I saw some for over 600!! I am beginning to think I struggled this long without them....maybe I just keep diiging out with the bucket when I get stuck!!! Any words of wisdom???

Thx

When I swap mine on my 1620 I slightly loosen the wheel bolts (you will not be able to do it if the tires are off the ground) and jack up each side of the tractor just until the wheel is off the ground. Then put a heavy duty jack stands under the axle. Then take out the wheel bolts and slowly take the wheel off being careful not to let it fall over. It the tire is just off the ground the tire will just drop an inch or so. Then awkwardly roll it to the other side, turning it as you go. It can be done by one person. Just don't let it fall over!

Page 23 of the owners manual says that the wheels cam be swapped side to side to vary the wheel width. Looking at the distance between the wheel and fender in the stock condition I don't think that there are any chains that would fit without hitting the fender.

I would encourage you to try to swap the tires and put the chains on. Your tractor will be like a tank and you will not struggle in the snow. The Ag tires don't have much traction due to the width and the tendency to float on the snow and slip on the ice. My 1620 with chains will drive through 20" of snow just as easy as if it were summer and that you were driving on grass. And pushing huge mounds of snow no longer is a problem due to traction.